whats the difference?

[G.P_XJ]

Can someone please explain to me what the difference is between a standard offroad light and a HID offroad light?

Is there any real advantage to the HID?

Thanks
Garrett

 

[old_man]

Regular lights such as halogen actually have a filament that glows white hot when current is run through it, just like in your home. All you have to do is apply voltage across the light.

HID stands for high intensity discharge. You can equate the method of generating light to the light that comes from welding. It is really an arc inside the bulb. In order to generate enough voltage to generate the arc and then to control the arc, it takes an electronics module. The difference in the bulb and the required electronics up the cost significantly.

 

[xcm]

you could also think of it kinda like a regular screw in light bulb vs an incandescant setup that has a ballast.


HID's draw less current than a halogen, is this important when you have 2? slightly, but its VERY important when you have 14.

they also look cool, and project extra presence on the road

 

[yossarian19]

Further:
HIDs are SUPER bright. Cheap housings / poor optics can blind other people, though if you are talking about off road lights this shouldn't be an issue.
They also don't last as long (the term "1500 hours" stands out in memory, though I'm open to being corrected" and are much more expensive to replace when they go bad.
For the ultimate in money-is-no-object lighting badassery, go LED. Low current demand, SUPER rugged & all-but-impossible to burn one out. Bring your platinum (or black) card.

 

[el_roy1985]

Never even seen a LED offroad light. Links or pics?

 

[yossarian19]

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1009963

 

[DieselSJ]

Never even seen a LED offroad light. Links or pics?

www.rigidindustries.com

 

[rocknxj]

Petersen's 4Wheel and Off-Road mag did a good write-up a few issues back. You can view their info here. http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/electrical/131_1006_all_about_off_road_lights/index.html

 

[el_roy1985]

If I ever win the lottery, I'm goin with those.

 

[bails85]

that led light is bad. i want one

 

[kastein]

you could also think of it kinda like a regular screw in light bulb vs an incandescant setup that has a ballast.


HID's draw less current than a halogen, is this important when you have 2? slightly, but its VERY important when you have 14.

they also look cool, and project extra presence on the road

incandescents don't use a ballast as far as I know... you are thinking of fluorescent lamps, sodium lamps, or high pressure metal halide lamps.

Further:
HIDs are SUPER bright. Cheap housings / poor optics can blind other people, though if you are talking about off road lights this shouldn't be an issue.
They also don't last as long (the term "1500 hours" stands out in memory, though I'm open to being corrected" and are much more expensive to replace when they go bad.
For the ultimate in money-is-no-object lighting badassery, go LED. Low current demand, SUPER rugged & all-but-impossible to burn one out. Bring your platinum (or black) card.

They do burn out, but it takes a long time. For low power LEDs the lifespan is usually measured in tens to hundreds of thousands of operating hours. I'm not too familiar with high power LEDs so I will avoid spreading BS info by not giving any specific numbers for their lifespan. Research the manufacturer's datasheets and ad copy, it will be in there somewhere, probably in very fine print.

 

[xcm]

incandescents don't use a ballast as far as I know... you are thinking of fluorescent lamps, sodium lamps, or high pressure metal halide lamps.

thanks for the correction, too much time spent under the high pressure metal halides!